Thursday, July 30, 2015

Since its inception late last year, I've done my very best to follow Lucha Underground. Despite losing access to El Rey Network, I've managed to see a good chunk of it. Last night, was the beginning of the end for season one. Ultima Lucha is upon us. We got to see part one, which kicked off with a Falls Count Anywhere match between The Mack and Cage, billed as the Mack vs. the Machine. This was exactly how I'd want a Falls Count Anywhere match to go. Cage attacked during Mack's entrance and they almost never used the ring. The fight was all around the temple and it involved weapons and big spots. An especially good one saw Mack hit Cage with a cooler. When beers spilled out, he picked up two, smashed them together, drank some and hit Cage with a Stunner, complete with Steve Austin like trash talk. There was also a nice suplex spot and a powerbomb from the top through a table. Nothing topped the finish though as Cage went American History X on Mack by curb stomping him through a fucking cinder block! Sick finish to my favorite opening match all year as it was non stop action. ****

One of my favorite things all season about Lucha Underground has been the Trios Champions. Angelico, Ivelisse and Son of Havoc have a dysfunctional chemistry that has been magical. Here, they defended the belts against the Disciples of Death. It's all part of Catrina's plan to pretty much rule LU as these guys get a shot here and Mil Muertes has a shot at the big belt coming up. This was the usual hectic affair from the Trios Champions. Angelico topped all of his previous insane bumps with a cross body from the top of the Temple to his opponents outside of the ring. Ivelisse was able to get her hands on Catrina, but the tables turned and she was knocked out with that big stone. I forget the official name for it. That allowed a Disciple to pin her and capture the belts. Another fun match as that's the name of the game for Lucha Underground. Entertainment for sure. ***1/2The main event of Ultima Lucha night one saw the first ever Believer's Backlash match. This involved fans with straps around the ring, which they could use on the competitors. The match was between Drago and Hernandez. Now, of course, because they like Drago and hate Hernandez, who has made fun of them for believing in Drago, they only went after the former Super-Mex. Due to that, the outcome was never really in doubt, but it still made for relatively fun TV. I think that it was underwhelming as a main event, especially considering how strong next week's finale looks but still enjoyable stuff here. Drago wins after a splash through a table and another inside the ring. ***A good start to Ultima Lucha here. The opener is an absolute blast, the Trios Tag Team Title match the usual chaotic fun and the main event is decent. If this was it for Ultima Lucha it would actually be a disappointment, but it worked as a solid opening act. Next week, we get a much stronger looking card that should be excellent. 7.5/10.